The Impact of Light Wavelength to Photosynthesis Lab Report

The Impact of Light Wavelength to Photosynthesis - Lab Report Example Nonetheless, our data did not support the hypothesis since the red light did not have significantly higher rate of photosynthesis among the three colors. Light is very significant to plants as it is the energy source that aids a chain of chemical reactions involve in the process of their food production called photosynthesis. With their light trapping photosynthetic pigments, plants collect light energy that then supports the production of sugar. The most important among several different pigments is chlorophyll which is responsible for green color of most plants (Light wavelength and photosynthesis) process we know as photosynthesis (Farabee, 2008). Sunlight as the primary source of light is converted to a usable chemical energy with the actions of green pigment chlorophyll. This process leads to the chemical reaction wherein water and carbon dioxide enter the cell of the leaf producing oxygen and sugar. With that leaves serves as solar collector full of photosynthetic cells (Whitmarsh). Light is a matter and an electromagnetic radiation which is a form of energy. The light that allows us to see is actually a combination of different wavelength and termed visible light. To separate these wavelengths the light must pass a prism making them all visible (Light wavelength and photosynthesis). ... This creates an electromagnetic spectrum of light between red as the longest wavelength while violet as the shortest (Farabee, 2008)The light energy that is transmitted and reflected is represented with the colors that we see while those that we cannot are those that are absorbed (Light wavelength and photosynthesis) Light is absorbed through substance called pigments. For most plants chlorophyll is the green pigment responsible for absorbing all wavelengths of visible light except green. As the pigment absorbs light energy, it triggers photosynthesis; thus making the effectiveness of different wavelengths of light generating electrons relative to the action spectrum of such chemical reaction. Methods The impact of light wavelengths on photosynthesis was determined by exposing the plant Dracaena to light of different wavelengths then measuring the decrease in carbon dioxide level. With a 60 Watts soft white light bulb with red, green and yellow light filters, wavelengths of 630 to 750nm representing red, 570 to 590 representing yellow, and 490 to 560nm representing green were utilized. Two treatments were done for each of the three wavelengths, each treatment with seven replicates. Each of the seven plants was placed in the CID machine and tested for CO2 level respiration. Each plant was initially tested for drop in CO2 after two minutes of light exposure and then final measurements were obtained within seven minutes. Thus had provides us the amount of change in the level of carbon dioxide utilization within five minutes interval. Results The data in Figure 1 shows that the change in level of carbon dioxide utilization differs among colors of different wavelengths. The control where in the sunlight serves as the source of light displays a mean of 160.71